<p>I would be extremely grateful to anyone who takes the time to read this through! :)</p>
<p>This is my r</p>
<p>You will undoubtedly get some posts here saying you have a great chance at Stanford. That’s the protocol for this website. Here are some areas you need to consider.</p>
<p>Your ECs are mundane. High-school cross-country team, debate team, French club are a dime a dozen for applicants to elite schools. In contrast, your work is rather unique and should be highlighted. It will carry weight with admissions.</p>
<p>Now for some tough love. The SAT math I subject test is considered a remedial math test by elite schools. You may think scoring in the 95 th percentile is a positive. It’s not. Don’t take the math I test and write in an essay about wanting to major in science, engineering, computer programming, etc. It won’t fly. If you have some non-science major in mind, it’s not too much of a liability.</p>
<p>A 2080 SAT score will not keep you out of Stanford, but getting a higher score on the next exam would be helpful.</p>
<p>Awards: “Honor roll many/most semesters”. Don’t list that as an award you are proud of. You are competing against students who take high school honor roll as a given.</p>
<p>I personally don’t think it should, but sleeping in your car is what will appeal to the admissions officers. The “I had obstacles to overcome” story always seems to be successful. Putting that in your essay is the one vehicle that could get you into an elite school.</p>
<p>Stanford’s application period for fall 2010 admission is open. I would look over the application during the next few weeks and start writing your essays before you get busy with high school activities.</p>
<p>You were extremely helpful and I appreciate the honesty. I’ll definitely start working on those essays, and take into consideration everything you said when filling in my application. Thank you!</p>
<p>any other opinions?</p>
<p>I wanted to second Cardfan on the comment about the ECs vs. your work. A school like Stanford wants to assemble a class full of various forms of background and talent, and there will be far too many “good students with high school debate” applicants. If you won several tournaments and have incredible credentials there, it could help you, though; someone I know with good grades and test scores had that as his main winning point and made it. While it’s too bad, give you may love debate, it seems clear that most schools don’t want an army of them filling up their classes.</p>
<p>I want to emphasize one other thing: put lots and lots of work into your essays. Judge for yourself what advice we give you is good, and keep that stuff in mind when writing them. Keep them earnest, but try to present a unique perspective. You are your application to the admissions officers, and if S didn’t want to “get to know you” beyond your credentials and talents, I doubt they would have an application structured the way it is. One main reason nobody on CC can tell you whether your chances are good or not for sure is that we aren’t the AOs, and don’t know what your essays are going to say (even if we did, as I said, we’re different people from the AOs).</p>
<p>I completely agree witht the previous posts. Somewhere in the application, make sure you speak about how you have overcome your particular struggles to still maintain your successes. they want to know you when they make the decisision, so show every part of you in your application.</p>
<p>you guys, thank you for these posts. I’m going to reference myself to all this advice throughout the application process… you’re being very helpful.</p>
<p>also, just got AP scores from Junior year back, (though I hear it matters very little).
AP Psychology: 5
AP French: 5
AP US History: 4</p>
<p>The reality is that getting into Stanford requires you to look good not only against your fellow high school peers in your area, state, or even country.</p>
<p>I don’t believe ANY academic credential predicts admission to Stanford. Kids with perfect SAT scores and kids with less than 2000 get accepted. Such is Stanford and the admissions process.</p>
<p>Here is the only piece of advice I would give to you, which someone at Stanford gave to me before I applied successfully.</p>
<p>Nobody cares who you were in high school. It doesn’t matter to them. You need to prove that you’re qualified, yes. But once you’ve met their threshold (which is lower than you’d believe) it doesn’t matter who you WERE in high school.</p>
<p>Stanford is looking for the future business leaders of the world, someone who will start Google’s replacement or design the new source of energy that will fuel a second age of industrial expansion. They care about who you WILL BE.</p>
<p>When you apply, through your essays, course pattern, ECs, everything you give to Stanford - tell a story. Describe to them the person that you are, but more importantly describe to them the person you CAN BE and WILL BE.</p>
<p>The reality is that Stanford will invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in your education. They expect you to be a success who leaves them millions of dollars throughout your life and expand the “Stanford” name. So if you want to be accepted, my best advice is to simply try to show them what you have to offer their university. Be a salesman. Don’t tell them how amazing you WERE in high school, capture how amazing you WILL be at their university - convince them that you’re worth their time, effort, and money.</p>
<p>All the best. I hope it works out for you. </p>
<p>-Eric</p>
<p>Very good point, makes perfect sense. I’ll definitely include those aspects in my application! Thank you Eric!! These posts are really helpful</p>
<p>Good luck! :)</p>
<p>You’re expecting to be Finalist? lol</p>